SUMMARY: While halitosis is often associated with aging, that doesn't mean you can't have it as a child. A parenting advice column in the Queensland Courier Mail has recommended monitoring a child's oral health habits and being wary of bad breath-causing illnesses.

Posted: February 1, 2011

While halitosis is often associated with aging, that doesn't mean you can't have it as a child. A parenting advice column in the Queensland Courier Mail has recommended monitoring a child's oral health habits and being wary of bad breath-causing illnesses.

In mature Americans, age can dry out the mouth and lead to oral odor, according to the Mayo Clinic. However, when a child under the age of 8 has halitosis, the simplest explanation is that he or she has not developed proper brushing habits.

The newspaper said that it can be difficult for children to thoroughly brush their teeth, since their dexterity has not developed very much yet.

Also, it can be quite easy to assume children are brushing twice a day when they are not. The news source recommended creating a brushing schedule for you and your child, in which the two of you brush your teeth together twice a day.

If you know that brushing is not the issue, your child's halitosis may be a product of either illness or a diet rich in fatty, savory foods, the newspaper concluded.

No matter what is the cause of bad breath among children, encouraging them to use a specialty breath freshening product may improve their oral odor and leave their mouths cleaner and freer of bacteria.